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(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

B INGRAHAM. DROP BOX MEGHANISMPOR LOOMS.

No. 544,229. I Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

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- Edmundlnjruhwrm (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. INGRAHAM.

DROP BOX MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Patented Aug. 6,1895.

I mventvr: EdmuMInymha/rw by kis'fliarneya igVlgfgesses I (No Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 3,

E. INGRAHAM. DROP BOX MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Patented Aug; 6

, Inventor Imam by his Mfrs STATES PATENT FFICE EDMUND INGRAHAM, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THE FAIRMOUNTMACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DROP-BOX MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

I v $PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,229, datedAugust 6, 1895.

' Application filed December 26,1894. Serial No. 532,952- (No model.)

To alZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDMUND INGRAHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Drop-Box Mechanism for Looms, of which the following isa specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple, positive, andefficient drop-box motion for looms, the boxes, when adjusted, beingelfectually locked against vertical displacement in either direction.This object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side Viewof sufficient of a loom to illustrate my improved drop-box motion. Fig.2 is a similar view with some of the outer parts removed and some insection in order to show internal construction. Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on theline 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view, partly in elevation and partly insection, on the line 5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on theline 6 6, Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is a side view illustrating a modificationof my invention.

A represents one of the side frames of the loom, having a bearing forthe shaft B, which has aspur-pinion a, meshing with a spurwheel a, whichis free to turn on a stud a secured to a hood or casin g o attached tothe side frame A. On said stud 0. also turns a drum D, between which andthe hub of the spur-wheel a there is a frictional clutch connectionconsisting in the present-instance of fingers I), hung to studs 1) onthe drum and engaging at their free ends with notches in the hub of thespur-wheel a, the fingers being retained in engagement with said notchesby means of springs 12 bearing'upon the fingers and secured to studs Wonthe drum. On the periphery of the drum Dare formed two toothed segmentsD, these toothed segments being diametrically opposite each other, andon each side of the drum is suitably mounted a hollow shaft, that on oneside of the drum being represented at F and that on the opposite side atG. At the outer end of the shaft F is a crank-pin fi-which is connectedby a link f to one arm of a lever H, the latter being fulcrnmed midwayof its length to the lower end of a link 9, depending from the crank-ping of the shaft G, the forward end of the lever H being constructed forconnection to the dropnected to one end of a spring J, tending to liftit, and the tension of the spring being regulated by the adjustment of aratchetwheel 5, to which the other end of said spring is attached, backmovement of the ratchetwheel being prevented by a pawl J This.spring-actuated arm serves to counterbalance the weight of thedrop-boxes, and thus permits the easy elevation of the same and preventsuneven strain upon the operating mechanism for the drop-box lever.

The throw of each of the crank-pins f and g is equal to the height ofone of the boxes. Hence the construction shown is adapted forapplication to a four-box loom. When the parts are in the position shownin Fig. 1, the boxes will be fully depressed, the top box will be inline with the shuttle-race, the crank-pin f being at thetop limit of andthe crank-pin g at the bottom limit of its throw. If it is clesired toraise the boxes to the extent of one box, a half turn is imparted to theshaft F, so as to carry its crank-pin to the lowest limit of its throw,and thereby operate the lever H, so as to raise the boxes to the desiredextent, the leverHfulcruming upon the link g. If it is desired to raisethe boxes from the lowest position to the extent of two boxes, the shaftF is permitted to remain stationary and the shaft G has a half turnimparted to it. This imparts motion to the link g, and as the latter isconnected to the lever H at a point midway of the length of the lever,and the inner end of the latter is fulcrumed upon the lower end of thelink f, the movement of the outer end of the lever H, whichv isconnected to the drop-box rod, will be doubled. Consequently the boxeswill be lifted to the extentof two boxes. If it is desired to effect athree-box lift, both shafts F and G are given a half turn from thepositions shown in Fig. 1, the operation of the shaft G resulting in alift of. two boxes and the operation of the shaft F resu'lting'in afurther lift of one box. The boxes can be lowered in like manner to theextent of one, two, or three boxes by the operation of either or both ofthe shafts F and G. In fact it will be readily understood that as theoperation of the shaft F provides for a movement of the boxes in eitherdirection to the extent of one, box, and the operation of the shaft Gprovides for a movement of the boxes in either direction to the extentof two boxes, any desired operation of the boxes can be effected bymoving either or both shafts. \Vhen both shafts are operated, themovement due to the operation of the shaft F is added to or subtractedfrom the movement due to the operation of the shaft G.

The desired half turns are imparted to the shafts F and G in thefollowing manner: Each shaft has diametrically-opposite toothed segmentsF and G, and sliding transversely through each shaft is a bolt 2', whichhas in one of its faces an inclined groove 2', engaging with a pin tprojecting inwardly from a finger 6 formed upon the inner end of asliding rod on, which is guided in the hollow shaft F or G, and isprevented from turning therein by a screw-pin m, which engages with agroove m formed in one side of said sliding rod. The outer end of therod m is grooved for the reception of the forked lower end of an arm,that used in connection with the rod of the shaft F being lettered n,while the arm used in connection with the rod of the shaft G is letteredp. The arm n turns loosely upon a rock-shaft 19 which is adapted tosuitable hearings in a bracket 13 secured to the hood or casing a thearm 19 being rigidly secured to said shaft. Attached to the arm n is anarm n, and secured to the shaft 13 is an arm 1), and both of these armsare connected by cords or wires 3 to suitable pattern mechanism at thetop of the loom, whereby either rod m may be thrust into or withdrawnfrom its respective shaft.

The opposite ends of each of the sliding bolts 2' constitute the initialteeth of the segments of the shaft in connection with which said bolt isused, and the operation of either of the shafts F or G by a segment D ofthe drum D depends upon whether the bolt 71 is projected so as to engagewith the primary tooth of such segment D. Thus it will be observed onreference to Fig. 2 that the fixed teeth of the segments of the shafts Fand G, when said shafts are in position of rest, clear the teeth of thesegments D. Hence so long as the bolt 2' of either shaft is retractedthere will be no operation of said shaft; but when the bolt is projectedso as to engage with the initial tooth of the segment D the shaft willbe turned thereby, so as to bring the fixed teeth of the segment intomesh with the teeth of the segment D, the segments of the drum D and ofthe shafts F and G being so proportioned that each movement of eithershaft will be to the extent of half a turn. Each of the shafts is lockedin position after each movement by means of a roller 15 engaging with anotch t in a disk t formed on the shaft, the roller 25 being carried bya lever t hung to the hood (1 and acted upon by a spring t.

In the event of any obstruction to the movement of the boxes in eitherdirection, such as would prevent the turning of the shafts F G or eitherof them, the arrest of movement of the drum D causes the ends of theclutch-fingers b to leave the notches in the hub of the spur-wheel a, sothat the continued forward movement of the latteris notinterfered with,and breakage of the teeth or other parts of the box-operating mechanismis thereby prevented.

A modified plan of attaining the same result is shown in Fig. 7, andconsists in the use of two levers H and H the latter being fulcrumedupon the lever H, and being connected at one end to the link g andconstructed at the other end for connection to the drop-box rod, thelink f being connected to the rear end of the lever H. The pivot to ofthe lever H is confined between a fixed jaw 10 and a yielding jaw 1.0upon the lever H, the yielding jaw being acted upon by a spring 10 thetension of which is overcome when the movement of the boxes is undulyobstructed, so that the jaw 10 yields and the pivot w is permitted tomove either upward or downward, as required.

It will be observed that as each of the crankpins of the shafts F and Gis on the dead-center when said shaft is at rest, the boxes arepositively locked in position after each adjustment so far as concernsany derangement by pressure upon the boxes themselves. Hence theconstruction of the frictional clutching device shown in Figs. 1 to 3 ispreferred to that shown in Fig. 7, in which the yielding element isinterposed between the boxes and the crankpins.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters latent- 1. The combination of a hollow box-operating crank shafthaving a toothed segment, a transversely sliding bolt, the end of whichconstitutes the initial tooth of said segment, a rod adapted to slidelongitudinally .in said hollow shaft and having a pin and slotconnection with said bolt, whereby the longitudinal movement of the rodcauses transverse movement of the bolt, and means for reciprocating saidrod, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a hollow box-operating crank shaft having atoothed segment, a transversely sliding bolt, the end of whichconstitutes the initial tooth of said segment, a rod adapted to slidelongitudinally in said hollow shaft and having a pin and slot connectionwith said bolt, whereby the longitudinal movement of the rod causestransverse movement of the bolt, means for reciprocating said rod, and apin carried by the hollow shaft and adapted to a groove in the rod so asto prevent turning of the latter in the shaft, substantially asspecified.

3. The combination in drop box mechanism for looms, of the drop boxlever, the drum having toothed segments, the crank shafts havingsegments with movable initial teeth, means for advancing and retractingsaid movable teeth, devices for rotating the drum, c0nnections betweenthe crank pins of the crank shaft and the drop box lever, and a yieldingclutch element whereby the arrest of the drop box operating mechanism ispermitted Without interfering with the continued movement of the drivingshaft, substantially as specified.

spring and a retaining pawl for said ratchet wheel, substantially asspecified. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub scribing witnesses.

EDMUND INGRAHAM. Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, JOSEPH H.KLE1N.

